A quick guide to Apple's Think Different campaign (2026) April 09 2026

Apple's Think Different campaign launch newspaper ad with a longer version of the script used in the Here's to the Crazy Ones television commercial. This print ad features iconoclasts like Picasso, Einstein, Lennon, Earhart, Gandhi and Miles Davis.

Think Different - what it means and why it mattered for Apple

Here's to the Crazy Ones / Think Different lettering poster Click through to see it in detail.

Apple Think Different poster featuring Ameila Earhart

See our DIY Amelia Earhart Think Different poster (diamond painting kit) here

What did Steve Jobs mean by 'Think Different'?When Steve Jobs said "Think Different," he was encouraging people to challenge conventional thinking, embrace creativity, and celebrate innovation by seeing the world through a unique, independent perspective. This slogan was used to reposition Apple as a brand for innovators, dreamers, and non-conformists—those willing to see things differently and push boundaries.The meaning was most powerfully captured in the famous “Crazy Ones” commercial, which said:"Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently—they’re not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo... Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do".Jobs believed Apple was not just selling computers or gadgets, but was advocating for a philosophy: value originality, question the status quo, and make a meaningful difference. By associating Apple with icons like Einstein, Gandhi, and Picasso, the campaign emphasized that real progress comes from those who dare to be different.The message behind "Think Different" endures as a call to creativity, visionary thinking, and courage to challenge the norm—qualities Jobs saw as central to Apple’s identity and essential for driving genuine innovation.

Dave Dye's Here's to the Crazy Ones / Think Different poster from the original longer script. Click through to see it in detail.

Apple Think Different poster featuring Muhammad Ali

Where is Apple's Here's to the Crazy One's creator Rob Siltanen today?

Rob has been busy running his own successful agency called Siltanen & Partners.

From their website - https://www.siltanen.com/about

In 1999, Rob opened Siltanen & Partners, secure in his conviction that an independently-owned, creatively-led shop could produce outstanding marketing results for businesses of every type...

Image from Rob Siltanen's advertising agency website www.siltanen.com

Why did Apple say Think Different?

Apple chose "Think Different" instead of the grammatically correct "Think Differently" for a few key reasons we conjecture:

1. Impact and Memorability: The phrase "Think Different" is shorter, more direct, and easier to remember. It's punchy and stands out more than "Think Differently," which sounds more ordinary.

2. Brand Identity: Apple wanted to communicate that it was a company that didn’t follow the rules, even in language. By deliberately using "Think Different," Apple was reinforcing its identity as a company that challenges conventions and does things its own way.

3. Philosophical Message: "Think Different" isn’t just about thinking in a different manner; it’s about being fundamentally different in thought. The phrase suggests a deeper, more intrinsic difference in perspective and approach, which aligns with Apple's innovative and groundbreaking ethos.

4. Artistic License: In advertising and branding, companies often take liberties with language to create a stronger brand identity or emotional response. The slightly unconventional grammar contributed to the campaign's unique and rebellious tone, which resonated with Apple’s target audience.

In essence, "Think Different" was a bold, creative choice that aligned perfectly with Apple's brand message.

Voice Over - Richard Dreyfuss

Tomasz Biernat's custom lettered Think Different poster Click through to see it in detail.

Apple Think Different poster featuring Jim Henson

Dave Dye's Here's to the Crazy Ones / Think Different poster from the aired commercial's script. Click through to see it in detail.

Apple Think Different poster featuring John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Apple Think Different poster featuring Albert Einstein

Apple Think Different poster featuring Charlie Chaplin

Apple Think Different poster featuring Mahatma Karamchand Gandhi juxtaposed with a scribble of the concept by Craig Tanimoto who came up with the idea for the advertising campaign.

Apple Think Different poster featuring Jimi Hendrix

Apple Think Different poster featuring Bob Dylan

Apple Think Different poster featuring advertising innovator Bill Bernbach

Apple Think Different poster featuring Flik the ant from A Bug's Life

Apple Think Different poster featuring Jackie Robinson

Apple Think Different poster featuring Buzz Aldrin

See our DIY Buzz Aldrin Think Different poster (diamond painting kit) here

Apple Think Different poster featuring Maria Callas

Jayesh Raut's Think Different poster ( In Devnagri script, with the original words in English laid out in 3 lines). Click through to see it in detail.

Apple Think Different poster featuring Thomas Edison juxtaposed with a scribble of the concept by Craig Tanimoto who came up with the ad campaign idea.

See our DIY Thomas Edison Think Different poster (diamond painting kit) here

Apple Think Different poster featuring Lucy and Desi.

Apple Think Different poster featuring Jane Goodall

Apple Think Different poster featuring Paul Rand

A collage of some of the most iconic Apple Think Different posters

Apple Think Different poster featuring Ted Turner

Apple Think Different poster featuring Richard Feynman

Apple Think Different poster featuring the Dalai Lama

Jayesh Raut's Think Different poster ('Think' in Devnagri script & words in English). Click through to see it in detail.

Apple Think Different poster featuring Nelson Mandela

Apple Think Different poster featuring Francis Ford Coppola

Apple Think Different poster featuring John Huston

Tomasz Biernat's Think Different poster (mirror writing version). Click through to see it in detail.

Apple Think Different poster featuring Pablo Picasso

See our DIY Pablo Picasso Think Different poster (diamond painting kit) here

Apple Think Different poster featuring James Watson

Apple Think Different poster featuring Martha Graham

Tomasz Biernat's Here's to the Crazy Ones Think Different artwork framed.

Apple Think Different poster featuring Miles Davis

Apple Think Different poster featuring Orson Welles

Apple Think Different poster featuring Joan Baez

Apple Think Different poster featuring Eleanor Roosevelt

Apple Think Different poster featuring Frank Capra

https://www.ebay.com/b/apple-think-different-poster/bn_7024945589

Apple Think Different poster featuring George Gershwin

Apple Think Different poster featuring Alfred Hitchcock

See our DIY Alfred Hitchcock Think Different poster (diamond painting kit) here

How your Here's to the Crazy Ones print would look framed on your wall.